For those who cannot walk or climb because of a temporary or permanent disability, life can be full of obstacles. The ability to move freely and be self-reliant is especially critical for those who enjoy being active and outdoors, and for individuals whose job requires access to outdoor mobility, such as those in the agriculture or heavy equipment industries. For these reasons, Life essentials is proud to introduce our line of personal mobility products that are assisting individuals across the country gain their independence at home, work, and recreation. These quality products are custom built and installed to meet the individual needs of the user.

The Life essentials team has over 37 years of direct experience in the rehabilitation and automotive equipment technology industries. Life essentials uses the latest innovations in mobility equipment and products. We can build lifts for combines, tractors, trucks, boat docks, bathrooms, motor homes, and list goes on and on. We even build an equestrian lift to assist individuals onto a horse. We have custom-designed all kinds of lifts and we are ready for any challenge.

We at Life essentials are prepared to help you determine the products you need to optimize your freedom and gain your independence. We address your specific, individual requirements to assure easy, safe, comfortable, and economical solutions to your mobility challenges. Everyone at Life essentials is ready to meet your personal mobility needs with quality products and the best in customer service. Call today for more information at 765-742-6707 or fill out our online form with your questions.

To learn about the history of Life essentials, you must first learn the history of the inventor and designer, Hubert Von Holten. Hubert came about his inventiveness naturally, because he had a need for it physically. Hubert contracted Polio at the age of 5. As the oldest of four brothers, Hubert’s father looked to him to help start their farming business at the ripe old age of 14. Since he had limited use of his legs, his first assistive technology product was a throttle control on the Model A car he used to move the family out to the farm.

From that point forward, Hubert began adapting farm equipment for his own use. His natural innovation served him well as he started his own farm in the early sixties. He later went to work for a manufacturing company and then started his own machine shop, Round Grove Machine, in West Lafayette, Indiana. Hubert now has a machine shop in Brookston, Indiana, known as Sunset Prairie, which manufactures many of the personal mobility products offered by Life essentials.

Hubert developed his first commercially available lift in 1986, when a professor at Purdue University’s Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department approached him about a special project: A farmer with a disability in Vermont needed a way to access his tractor. By the time the project was completed, the solution became a stepping stone for what is now the Pilot Lift. The realization that a need existed for farmers with disabilities grew as word about this first lift grew.

Today’s Pilot Lift is quite different from the first lift, but the need and results are the same: an efficient, reliable, quality-built product that delivers the accessibility that today’s active individual with disabilities requires.